Tulsi Gabbard fires back at Obama: 'absolute failure'
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired back at former President Barack Obama, accusing him of deflecting from his administration’s “absolute failure” to vet intelligence reports used to fuel narratives of Russian collusion with the 2016 Trump campaign.
“The treasonous conspiracy that we have now released to the American people — the complicity, the deflection, and the silence of politicians, of the mainstream media, and of those directly implicated into this speaks volumes,” Gabbard said on Fox & Friends Saturday.
On Tuesday, President Trump called for criminal charges against Obama, 63, for allegedly ordering an intelligence report saying Russia meddled to help him win the White House in 2016.
Trump was referring to documents Gabbard declassified last week.
Obama’s office responded, calling the claims an attempt at distracting from the scandal over the administration’s handling of the Epstein files.
“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,” Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesman for Obama said.
“But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” he said, referring to the mounting pressure on Trump to release the Epstein files.
“Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.”
Gabbard lashed out at Obama’s answer during her Fox appearance.
“President Obama’s very carefully worded response that came from his office, again, deflects away from addressing any of the truth that was revealed,” she said.
“They would have to admit and actually address the details of their complicity in this or their absolute failure in conducting the most basic responsibilities of, again, asking, where is this intelligence coming from?
Gabbard sent a criminal referral to Attorney General Pam Bondi Friday against Obama.